If you aren't in the proper state of mind for weight loss, you aren't going to lose weight. You need to have the proper weight loss mindset to begin a weight loss and fitness journey.

So many times patients come in and tell me they want to lose weight. I know most of them aren't ready. They aren't speaking like someone who knows what they want and has made up their mind to get after it and lose weight.

I have a Free Weight Loss Mindset Mini Course that you can check out, but here are the highlights.

Step 1: Flipping the Switch

Whether you are trying to lose weight, quit smoking, or start a new fitness routine, something in your mind has to switch on. You have to want it and make that decision. No journey starts unless you actually decide to start.
 

 Step 2: No Quick Fixes

Weight loss isn't going to be easy. Anyone that tells you it's going to be easy is selling you some magic quick-fix that will leave you more overweight once the magic wears off. Weight loss isn't something you want to rush anyways. The slower you lose weight, the less likely you are to lose muscle, and the less likely you are to gain it all back. Most research has shown that you should aim for weight loss of 0.5 to 1.5% of your total weight per week. This is safe, sustainable, and reduces weight regain and loss of muscle.

Step 3: Think Like a Thin Person

Sometimes just putting yourself in the position of a fit and lean person helps you make better decisions. You are at the amusement park, or wedding, or birthday, or whatever, what would the healthy version of you do? What would they eat? How would they live? What would their priorities be? This doesn't mean you can't eat and enjoy food, just be more mindful and present.

Step 4: Avoid Bad Food Relationships

Food is neither good nor bad. Ice cream, pizza, and pop aren't inherently "bad". Its just food. Kale and quinoa aren't always "good". Stop assigning moral value to food. Learn how to adjust your thoughts around the value or lack thereof of food. Food is food. It's just different proportions of proteins, carbs, and fats. Eat what you need for that day without feeling guilty or bad because society or your friends may think it's unhealthy. Many of my patients (and myself) have lost tons of weight while still eating jelly donuts.

Step 5: Don't Deprive Yourself

Stop thinking you need to starve to lose weight. Sure, you need to be in a calorie deficit. But not a severe one that leave you starving. You don't need tp deprive yourself of food you enjoy. Lose weight, while eating food you love. That's my motto.  Learn how to feel fulfilled, while still loosing weight.

Step 6: Don't Punish Yourself

If you eat too much one day, don't punish yourself in the gym the next day. And don't punish yourself by starving yourself the next day. You will develop a terrible relationship with food and exercise associating horrible values and connotations with food and exercise. They are not punishment, they are tools to accomplish goals. They are positive!

Step 7: The Economics of Food

"Healthy food is expensive". That's the excuse that I always hear as to why someone can't lose weight. Then don't buy expensive food. Buy cheap food. Just eat a lot less of it. You don't have to go out and buy the most organic, grass feed, cold pressed, fertilizer free, herbicide free foods. Just any food you can afford. It just has to be less. But how do you get into that mindset without feeling bad or guilty? Especially since you think you are going against everything the health and medical industry has been teaching? Well, the science backs you up. You will get healthier if weight is coming off, regardless of how you are losing that weight.

Step 8: Body Positivity

I always coach my patients, friends, and clients to have a body positive attitude. Now, this doesn't mean that we ignore health and tell everyone that they are beautiful. A BMI of over 30 is considered abnormal because that's the cutoff where mortality starts to increase. So while it's important to be positive, reassuring, compassionate, and loving. It's equally important to understand that your health is at risk if your BMI is over 30 (or over 27 with on risk factor).

Step 9: Social Support

It's super important to construct a social support system to help you and support you. It's very difficult to quit smoking when your spouse still smokes in the house. Similarly, it's very difficult to adopt a healthier lifestyle if your spouse and children don't also do it with you.

Step 10: Negativity and Toxicity

Eliminate people and situations that are negative and toxic to your goals and your strategy. It's hard enough to lose weight and become healthier, it's much harder when the people around you don't support your goals. Or worse, they prevent you from achieving your goals.

Step 11: Instilling Fun

Find a way to make it fun or make it a game. It should be inspiring and rejuvenating. It shouldn't be a drag or "work". There are so many ways to be positive and turn it into a fun experience. It needs to be gamified and fun! Having friends, your spouse, or kids join in and be positive influences can really help make it fun. An evening family bike ride can be loads of fun!

Step 12: Make Others Uncomfortable

When you start losing weight and becoming fit, most of the people around you are going to start asking a lot of questions, start doubting you, become jealous, and start talking negatively about you. They become uncomfortable with your success. A lot of times you have to leave them behind or change your group of friends to a more supportive group. You have to become comfortable with making others uncomfortable. I had people asking me if I had cancer when I was losing weight. What? Really? I mean, I understand the concern, but sheesh!

Step 13: Comfortable With the New You
 

You have to become comfortable with the new you! And so do all the people you surround yourself with! You are now "fit", "skinny", "lean", "healthy" or whatever else they call you. You need to adopt this as the new normal. Get used to it!

Step 14: Cost and Struggle

Losing weight doesn't have to cost you anything financially. You can lose weight eating food that you already eat. And since you will be eating less, it will actually save you money. The struggle and "cost" are real. you may lose friends, you may gain new insight, you may gain new internal strength, you may drop old habits and gain new ones. These are all "costs" along the way. It is going to be a struggle. It's not easy. Overcoming years of disordered eating, bingeing, and starvation style diets is not easy. Even mild eating disorders that you don't think of, like avoid carbs, are hard to overcome. I've had so many patients look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them they can eat carbs and still lose weight!

If you liked this article, I have a free weight loss mindset course that you can watch! You will gain even more insight and receive some neat bonuses!